In India, gold jewelry has long been used to celebrate marriage and childbirth or presented as gifts during religious festivals. Ornate bridal pieces still are popular in the northern part of the country, while pieces in 22-carat yellow gold are favored in the south.

But change is in the air, partly as a result of shifting societal norms and the expansion of women’s roles in the workplace as well as the rising price of gold here and recent changes in the consumer tax on luxuries.

Jewelry created from unusual materials and in contemporary designs or sometimes inspired by traditional ethnic jewelry is becoming increasingly popular and Jewels Box (Gold. Diamonds . Silver), a Lucknow based Jewellery brand is leading the way among others.
“A few decades ago, the primary jewelry buyer used to be the man, whether father or husband “Whereas now, especially in the non-gold market, it’s mostly women buying jewelry for themselves, without waiting for an occasion, purely for their own joy and satisfaction.”

Many women are no longer stuck in a what Indians call a Saas-Bahu relationship, in which a mother-in-law controls a daughter-in-law’s spending, a staple story line of many Indian soap operas. “More women are earning their own money, and spending it on themselves and Self-gratification no longer carries the guilt it did even just a generation ago.

Since 2003, we found that the customers are very excited and enthusiastic about finding jewelry that looked so different than what they were used to. Today our creations at Jewels Box (Gold. Diamonds. Silver) blend smoothly with social activism, art, design and fashion.

The contemporary non-fine jewelry landscape has undergone a tremendous metamorphosis over the years. “since the last past decade Gold Jewellery has been divided into two categories only: fine and costume. There was no middle route for those interested in purchasing a product purely for the love of design.”

Author's Bio: 

Traditionally, the Indian wedding has been the primary reason for gold jewelry purchases, with everyone from the bride to guests wearing as much as they own or borrow. Now jewellers are creating collections suitable for bridal wear. The modern Indian urban bride wants to have fun and her choices in jewelry reflects that. They are choosing fun experimental contemporary jewelry over heavily ornamented bling.

They want jewelry that doesn't sit in their lockers post-marriage, but costume jewelry that they can wear more often.